Frosty Wishes
by Blythia
Summary: Christmas is coming to Serene Village! The kids are excited, and everyone's in the mood. But after some trouble after school, Axew finds comfort through his friends and the magic of the holidays. Even in the coldest of winter, warmth fills his heart. Ribombee and Hakamo-o appear in this story.


**AN: Whew, it's been so long since I posted! I've been coming up for ideas with my Gym Leader one shots, but fallen short on it. I'll take considerations of what you suggest. Anyway, I want to get back to writing and post something Christmas themed. Even thought it takes place in Serene Village from PSMD, it's not related to it. Some characters may be different. Enjoy!**

In the secluded Pokémon village of Serene Village, snow fell gently like sugar being added to a cookie. Snow was everyone's favorite weather there. It meant the festivities will start. All around, Pokémon of different shapes and sizes were helping to decorate every inch of it. A Bibarel hung a Christmas wreath on the front door of his house. Emolga and Butterfree hung Christmas lights on the roofs of the houses, connecting them. The students in the school were getting excited for their two week long break. Between classes they would always talk of the nearing holiday.

"Oh boy, I can't wait! This year's Christmas is gonna be a blast!" a Bunnelby exclaimed.

"I know right! The huge Christmas tree and gift giving… aw that never gets old!" said Pikipek.

"The food's so tasty and delicious! Mmm, I can almost taste it…" Munchlax drooled.

"Munchlax, you always think of food," said Axew."But, hey! I can't help but wait!"

Up on the sky, a bird-like figure flew towards the school.

"Guys! Act natural!" said Drifloon. Everyone rushed to their seats and tried to stay put. Noctowl landed by the wooden chalk board. A small breeze blew by the front row.

"Good afternoon class," said Noctowl.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Noctowl," the whole class repeated.

"Now I know all of you are being excited with Christmas coming in a few weeks." The class kept quiet, as if they were ashamed of something. "Oh there's nothing wrong with looking forward to it! Today we will be making Christmas cards." Noctowl picked up a basket with slips of paper. "I want you, without peeking, to pick a slip of paper. This will be who you're writing to. Then you will trade your cards with them." He directed his wing to a table full of paper, glue, pipe cleaners, sequins, and all other types of materials. "Now start!"

The class huddled at the table, fighting for supplies. Ribombee caught herself in a tug-of-war battle with Inkay for the glue. Magby tried not to burn the paper. Axew barely made it out of there without having his supplies stolen. He set them on his desk and pulled a slip of paper from the basket.

"Please don't be her, please don't be her," Axew squinted his eyes as he unfolded it. "And just when I say I don't want her, Buneary." He eyed her with disgust, who was busy working without a care in the world. "I won't forget the day where you tossed my first gold coin in the river back in first grade."

Axew folded the paper and did his best to draw Delibird. Delibird always came to Serene Village the day before Christmas to deliver presents to children. Even though it looked nothing like him, Axew felt impressed by it. He looked around for glue on his desk. "Shoot! I need some glue! Who has it right now?" He scanned the class for anyone who had glue. Drifloon glued a drawing of a present on her card.

"Hey Drifloon? You done using that glue?" asked Axew.

Drifloon looked up from her card. "Huh? Oh, yeah. I'm, um, done." She handed him the glue bottle.

"Thanks!" Axew happily took it from her. At his desk he twisted some pipe cleaners, making a border before gluing it. He opened his card and scratched his head. "Hmmm? What should I write? I don't want to be rude or anything." He looked over his shoulder to find Buneary. She noticed his stare.

"Why are you looking at me like that? Mind your own business," retorted Buneary. "Wait… You're writing a card to me?"

"What did you write?" asked Axew. "I need some ideas."

"Fine. "To Minccino, merry Christmas to you and I hope you have a good break. I can't wait for you to show me what you got from Delibird's present." There. That sound good?"

"It's fine. Thanks anyway."

"Don't mention it."

Along with what Buneary wrote, Axew came up with more ideas like "I can't wait to hear what you did over break." and "Eaten the good food lately?" After much thought he wrote down everything he could think of. Axew brushed off eraser shavings and held up his card.

"Dear Buneary,

Merry Christmas! I know that sounds weird coming from me since we don't like each other, but we gotta be nice and festive! You don't want Delibird seeing us being naughty. Anyway, I want to hear what you did over break and what you got. Eaten the good food lately? Well, I hope you have a good break with your family.

From, Axew"

Just as Axew finished reading, Noctowl announced the class to trade cards. Everyone shuffled around to find their recipient. Cards were being exchanged all over the place. Jigglypuff exchanged her card to Natu and received one from Salandit. Axew nervously gave his card to Buneary, which she forcefully snatched. She read it close to her face as if she were examining something.

"Hmm. Not bad. But don't expect to hear from me that I liked it," said Buneary, crossing her arms and looking away. Axew gulped. Larvesta came around to find them at an awkward moment.

"Sorry. I hope I didn't walk into something about girlfriend boyfriend drama. Here Axew." Larvesta handed him his card.

"Thanks. I'll read it later," said Axew. Without being aware of the time, the bell rang.

"Class is dismissed! Have a good break!" said Noctowl. The various Pokémon ran out of the door in a mob. Axew, now wrapped in a scarf, busily chatted away with Drifloon and Ribombee.

"It's finally here! No school and Christmas!" shouted Axew.

"Yeah! I can't wait for the Christmas tree lighting event!" piped Drifloon.

"I just want to stay home and drink some cocoa," said Ribombee. She twirled around in the air. Lighthearted laughter arose from the group until they bumped into a group of Pokémon.

"Hey! Watch where you're going!" A black figure from the group turned around to face them. Umbreon, Jolteon, and Flareon loomed over them, making the other three look like a child's plaything.

"Ah so it's you again," said Flareon in her cunning voice.

"What? You too busy laughing that you aren't aware you were going to bump into someone?" Jolteon snickered.

"You better run. Scram!" warned Umbreon. Axew, Drifloon, and Ribombee backed off a little.

"Leave us alone! Just because you're bigger doesn't mean you're stronger over others that are smaller!" said Ribombee.

"Oh really? Try me," said Umbreon.

Ribombee flapped her wings, creating a sparkly, glittery wind toward Umbreon. Axew lurched back his head, forming a purple ball of energy at the top of his mouth and launched it to Flareon. Drifloon tried scaring Jolteon with Astonish, but to no avail. With all they could muster, they didn't even seem hurt.

"Is that all you got?" Flareon jeered. "I- We can do better." She engulfed her mouth in flames, while Jolteon generated electricity from her body and a dark aura from Umbreon's body emanated. Flareon shot a powerful blast of fire, Jolteon electrocuted the three with a Thunderbolt, and Umbreon let out the dark energy around him pulverizing them. Axew, Drifloon, and Ribombee were sent flying until they landed hard on the snow.

"Oh look it's Axew and his dorky friends!" Farther away from Umbreon's clique was Glaceon with Sylveon and Leafeon. "Let's try to freeze them to death out here!"

At Sylveon's mouth a magical pink ball of moonlight formed at her mouth and fired it at Axew. His body fired up in pain from the Moonblast. Small icicles erupted from the ground. Glaceon shot them at Drifloon, who barely had time to react. Leaves from a dead tree flew to Leafeon and launched them to Ribombee, who didn't get hurt as badly as the other two.

"Hey! No one does that to Axew!" They slowly got up to see Hakamo-o running to defend them. Even though he wasn't in his school, Hakamo-o acted like a big brother to Axew. Especially in times like this.

"H-Hakamo-o?" said Axew.

"Why do you keep doing this to him? He's done nothing wrong to you!"

"Jeez Hakamo-o. You know Axew's gotta defend himself as he gets older. Why not now? He can't always depend on you," said Leafeon.

"Shut up! That's a stupid excuse for picking on him!" Hakamo-o clenched his fists and slowly made his way toward Umbreon. In one swooping motion he threw an uppercut, sending Umbreon into the air and instantly knocking him out. Flareon and Jolteon backed off a little bit from Hakamo-o's glare.

Hakamo-o's hands glowed green as he striked Jolteon and Flareon with Dragon Claw. The pain was enough for them to realize they should run away.

"That's it! Get out! Scram! And don't hurt Axew like that ever again!" he yelled.

Axew finally got up and hugged Hakamo-o along with Drifloon and Ribombee.

"Thank you for doing that. I don't know how long they-." Axew choked back tears and sniffled. "They al-always c-come and get me. I don't know why."

"It's okay little bud. They're not gonna hurt you no more," Hakamo-o reassured him. "I'm sorry that happened. Don't let that ruin your break."

"Remember, if you get bullied, it's okay to tell us. We're always there for you," said Drifloon.

Axew sniffled. "Thanks guys."

He broke away from the hug and headed home. In his neighborhood Froslass unexpectedly opened the front door of her house.

"Hey Axew. Do you mind if you do an errand for me?" He turned around to face her.

"Bad timing? Oh, um, sorry. Here, I'll have something to cheer you up." Froslass led Axew into her house. They sat by the warm, cozy fireplace.

"Have a cookie," she said. She grabbed a plate full of cookies and handed one to him. "Anything wrong that happened at school, dear?"

Axew mumbled. "Umbreon and his friends bullied me and my friends."

"That's horrible! How long has this been going for?"

"A while."

"How do you feel?"

An unsettling silence fell between them. Froslass felt sorry for him. He had been bullied by a group of kids older than him and he didn't have enough courage to tell her. She acted like a second mom for him. Feeling sympathetic, she consoled him.

"I know it's hard if you can't tell, but talking it out will make it better. If you get bullied, you can talk about this to your teacher or the principal. Or even me or your friends. It'll be okay. They'll do something. Here," She handed him the plate full of cookies. "Maybe this will take your mind off of it. I want you to deliver these around the neighborhood, please."

"Yes Ms. Froslass," Axew replied and left.

Around the neighborhood the wooden houses were almost completely covered in snow. It was hard to trudge through especially for someone as small as Axew. He knocked on the neighbors' doors offering them free cookies. The errand seemed to take his mind off of what happened earlier.

At one of the houses the door creaked open by itself. Axew took a peek through the small space between outside and the inside. An Espeon mysteriously approached him. Axew couldn't help but feel nervous.

"Giving out cookies?" asked Espeon.

"Y-y-yes," Axew chattered, partly because of the cold and being around Espeon.

"Did they hurt you again?" Axew nodded. "And this is why I stay away from them." Espeon glanced at the plate of cookies.

"Can I have one?" he asked. Before Axew could answer one of the cookies levitated in midair. Espeon took a bite out of it. "Mmm. These are good. Who made these?"

"Thanks. Ms. Froslass made them," said Axew. Espeon closed the door.

Axew looked at the empty plate. _Time to give it back to her now_ , he thought. After returning it Emolga and Butterfree were decorating the tree with Christmas lights at the plaza. He decided to take a look.

"Hi Axew," said Butterfree. "Do you want to help us with this?" He shook the lights in his hand.

"No thanks. I'm already busy for break," said Axew. Drifloon and Ribombee were waiting by the tree holding something behind their back.

"What's that you're holding?" he asked.

"A surprise," said Ribombee. She and Drifloon held out Christmas presents.

"Just a really early merry Christmas," said Drifloon.

Axew took them from Drifloon's heart-shaped mittens and Ribombee's tiny hands. His expression lightened up.

"Thanks guys. This brightened up my day. And merry Christmas to you too."


End file.
